Published on: Fri Jan 09
Reapers Gale up until chapter 22 spoilers
Compassion is never enough. Nor is the hunger of vengence. But, for now, for what awaits us, perhaps they will do. We are the Bonehunters, and sail to another name. Beyond Aren, beyond Raraku and beyond Y’Ghatan, we now cross the world to find the first name that will be truly our own. Shared by none other. We sail to give answer.
There is more. But I will not speak of that beyond these words: “What awaits you in the dusk of the old world’s passing shall go … unwitnessed.” T’amber’s words. They are hard and well might they feed spite, if in weakness we permit such. But to those words I say this, as your commander: we shall be our own witness, and that will be enough. It must be enough. It must ever be enough.
This idea of being witnessed and unwitnessed is nested throughout the series, with Tavore’s speech above cementing it as a major theme. The rogue Malazan army lies completely unwitnessed in their actions, and for what purpose this vengence is for, much like the soldiers of the Bonehunters, we don’t have any insight into it at this point.
Tavore herself lies firmly in the unwitnessed camp. She rarely displays any emotion, and has never been truly open about her intentions or knowledge in the series as of Reapers Gale. Since her introduction she has been closed off. Much like other powerful figures in this book series, she very rarely gets a section in her POV, with the only case of this so far being at the end of the Bonehunters where we witness her panicing as she almost dies. Her own siblings describe Tavore as emotionless, with Felisin having an obsession with Tavore that leads to her own demise. Tavore works in the shadows of others, although her face is so prominent. She hired Baudin to keep her sister, Felisin, safe during the Malaz city purge of the higher class. Based off context we can assume that Tavore betrayed Felisin to ensure she retained the position of Adjunct to the Empress. In this Tavore is unwitnessed in her care for her sister. And her sister keeps the cycle of being unwitnessed going in her dual with Tavore at the end of House of Chains. Felisin dies without Tavore knowing that she killed her. When told the news of Felisin’s death by Lostara Yil and Pearl, Tavore for only a second shows a glimpse of emotion. She refuses to let her feelings out, possibly to maintain a showing of strength to her army. That she is a leader who will not falter, no matter the circumstances. Only after T’Amber’s death does Tavore show emotion again, but not to the people around her. She locks herself up in her cabin on her fleet, not even telling the army where they’re headed or why. Until Lostara convinces her off screen. And she gives the speech which includes the quote above.
Tavore doubles down on her emotions. She sees her closed off personality as a strength, as understanding that to be unwitnessed is a conviction, and not something that is to be treated lightly. For a deeper connection to exist between people, the barriers we keep in our minds have to be broken, and to unleash emotions in full earnesty. To be “witnessed” relies on much the same. The Bonehunters going through the hells of war, with the understanding that there will be no reward in this, no acknowledgement of what they have done and what they will do. Much like we as readers have a perspective of Tavore that relies on accounts from others, her army will be seen in the same way in history. Ostracized by the empire they all came from, fighting a war they don’t know the reason for. Tavore is encouraging her army to witness each other, for they will have no one else to. Exactly how there are very few people to witness Tavore. Her character feels like a small scale way to show how the Bonehunters look to the world outside the story. I’m sure a large population of this books world has no idea why any of the Bonehunters actions are happening. Why they decided to get revenge for an Empire that abandoned them.
I continue to wait for Tavore to reveal more of herself. It’s deeply satisfying (and frustarating) to have a character so consistently there, but having so little insight as to what they are doing. I’m really loving these books so far :)